Letting Go by Ann O'Leary Read Free Book Online Page A

discover so much sensitivity and thoughtful intelligence in someone so young. Kate managed to portray strength and vulnerability all at once, which Laura found very attractive. In kissing her so passionately, Kate had revealed a strong attraction to her, and Laura had to admit that whether she liked it or not, she was seriously attracted to Kate. She would just have to try to put Kate out of her mind. After all, she was spending plenty of time with Kelly and surely that would help to put thoughts of Kate into perspective. The following Saturday, having met Jude again for shopping and coffee, Laura told her about her phone conversation with Kate.
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    Laura stubbed out her cigarette. “So she wasn’t drunk and she hasn’t forgotten about it. Her interest in me seems to be more serious than I’d hoped.”
    “Well it doesn’t sound like a silly infatuation anyway,”
    said Jude. “You’re attracted to her, so why wouldn’t you go along with it. Have an affair with her, for God’s sake, and you can get bloody Kelly out of your life.”
    Laura sighed. “Because, Jude, there’s something special about her. Kate is certainly not a Kelly type, and I’m afraid I could get quite serious about her if I allowed anything to develop. I don’t trust myself emotionally at the moment. I’m not ready for anything serious and it wouldn’t be casual with Kate...
    Thank Christ Kelly’s around to keep my mind off her.”
    She lit another cigarette. She exhaled, leaning back in her chair. “I’m not getting involved with a twenty-three-yearold.”Jude laughed. “Shit, I’d kill to have a twenty-three-yearold panting after me!”
    Laura laughed with her and decided to drop the subject.
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Chapter Six
    Later that week, Laura was surveying all the work on her desk. It was April, and Tony had taken a week’s holiday, hoping to catch the remnants of the warm weather. They had expected a quiet time but it seemed every client suddenly needed a new campaign. Laura had brought in a freelance copywriter to help out, and now she needed help on artwork layouts.
    At least Jodie had proven to be an asset. She was a fast learner and reliable. Laura had spoken to her about the bubble gum, asking her to refrain from blowing bubbles while sitting at the reception desk or talking to clients. Jodie’s solution to this was to simply hide the gum in her mouth whenever Laura was around. Laura never again actually saw Jodie chewing gum but was beginning to grow 49
    accustomed to hearing the pops and snaps whenever she was nearby but out of sight. Laura had relaxed a great deal with Jodie, and could see the funny side of this. Sometimes, she even amused herself by trying to catch Jodie out, approaching her desk very quietly. But Jodie apparently had a sixth sense, and Laura had so far not managed to catch a single bubble in the making. More importantly, all their clients seemed to really like Jodie, which was the main thing as far as Laura was concerned.
    Laura rang Jodie at reception and asked her to contact Kate Merlo at the typesetters and make a time to discuss the new briefs. Previously, Laura would have phoned Kate herself, but she felt uneasy now about her and was attempting to make things seem more businesslike between them.
    Laura’s office door was open when Kate arrived and she stood there for a moment entranced, looking at Laura drawing on her layout pad, talking with a client on the phone, its receiver propped on her shoulder. God, she’s gorgeous, Kate thought, aware of that familiar aching tug of desire in her body.
    Kate had been away for about ten days, at her mother’s beach house. She was due for a vacation and had allowed herself to be convinced by her mother that she needed a break. Kate had not been sleeping or eating well in recent weeks, since her interest in Laura had grown to become a virtual obsession. She took a friend with her, and found herself relaxing and having a good time. She put her feelings for Laura into some